Leathes Prior welcomes commercial property and agricultural lawyer Julia Routledge
Leathes Prior is delighted to welcome Julia Routledge to the firm’s Commercial Property Team.
Leathes Prior is delighted to welcome Julia Routledge to the firm’s Commercial Property Team.
Julia specialises in providing advice on commercial and agricultural property matters and brings a wealth of experience to the firm, having qualified as a Solicitor in 2015. Prior to joining Leathes Prior, Julia worked at regional and national firms in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk.
Julia is able to act for commercial clients on acquisitions, disposals, leasing and financing matters and her experience in agricultural property includes the purchase of a £5million+ farm in Suffolk for an investor client, and advising trustees on the sale of a large unregistered tenanted farm on the Essex/Suffolk border. Julia was noted as a "rising star" in the 2020 and 2021 editions of the Legal 500,
Julia will work very closely alongside Leathes Prior’s Senior Partner William Riley and Head of Commercial Property Rob Sibley, focusing on continuing to provide a rounded and expert service to the firm’s agricultural clients.
Partner and Head of Commercial Property at Leathes Prior Rob Sibley said:
“We are delighted that Julia joins us today. Her impressive experience allows us to continue to provide the best possible service to the team’s growing client base, and the team very much look forward to working with her.”
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Spring Statement 2026 - An Overview
With the Government having restricted itself to one fiscal event a year in the form of the Autumn Budget, the Spring Statement is perhaps not the dramatic moment it used to be. It is more a chance for the Government to respond to events and economic forecasts than to set policy for the future.
Charity of the Month: Sue Lambert Trust
Leathes Prior is delighted to be supporting the Sue Lambert Trust as our Charity of the Month for February 2026. Sue Lambert Trust is a leading charity in Norfolk offering free therapeutic counselling and support services to survivors of sexual violence and abuse.
Supreme Court ruling set to impact NHS - Children injured by NHS can claim damages for lifetime lost earnings
In February 2026, the Supreme Court passed a ruling which is set to significantly increase the amount of damages the NHS may have to pay for claims brought in respect of children injured at birth, as a result of medical negligence.
Spring Statement 2026 - An Overview
With the Government having restricted itself to one fiscal event a year in the form of the Autumn Budget, the Spring Statement is perhaps not the dramatic moment it used to be. It is more a chance for the Government to respond to events and economic forecasts than to set policy for the future.
Charity of the Month: Sue Lambert Trust
Leathes Prior is delighted to be supporting the Sue Lambert Trust as our Charity of the Month for February 2026. Sue Lambert Trust is a leading charity in Norfolk offering free therapeutic counselling and support services to survivors of sexual violence and abuse.
Supreme Court ruling set to impact NHS - Children injured by NHS can claim damages for lifetime lost earnings
In February 2026, the Supreme Court passed a ruling which is set to significantly increase the amount of damages the NHS may have to pay for claims brought in respect of children injured at birth, as a result of medical negligence.
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The Value of Planning Ahead: LPAs & Court of Protection
Putting LPAs in place allows you to choose trusted people to make decisions for you if you lose capacity in the future. This avoids the need for loved ones to make a costly and time-consuming deputyship application to the Court of Protection. With more people likely to experience conditions affecting capacity, more families may need to turn to the Court for support where no LPAs are in place.
The case of the fake cases: another judgment on AI-hallucinations in litigation
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Autumn Budget 2025: Agricultural Property Relief & Business Property Relief Changes
It was announced in the 2025 Budget that from 6 April 2026, changes will be made to agricultural property relief and business property relief. These changes bring APR and BPR in line with the nil-rate band rules, meaning unused allowances can be transferred to a surviving spouse or civil partner. This is a significant step towards making estate planning easier for families who own farms or businesses.
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The Employment Rights Act 2025 is expected to come into force tomorrow (18 December 2025)
After an extended period of back-and-forth amendments between Parliament and the House of Lords, on 16 December 2025, the ERB finally received approval from the House of Lords, with the formality of Royal Assent due to take place tomorrow (18 December 2025). Head of LP Employment, Dan Chapman, explains...
Charity of the Month: The Matthew Project
Leathes Prior is delighted to be supporting The Matthew Project as our Charity of the Month for December 2025. The Matthew Project supports young people and adults across Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex to overcome issues around drugs, alcohol, and mental health, empowering them to rebuild confidence and lead fulfilling lives.
Leathes Prior’s Milan Pandit appointed President of the Norfolk & Norwich Law Society
Leathes Prior Solicitors is proud to announce that Milan Pandit, Solicitor in our Corporate & Commercial Team, has been appointed President of the Norfolk & Norwich Law Society (NNLS) for 2025/26.
Commercial Lease Renewals: A guide for Landlords & Tenants
Commercial lease renewals are a topic that every commercial landlord and business that rents commercial premises should have at the forefront of their minds. It is essential for good succession planning, though it is often neglected until the expiry of an existing lease term is looming or once the existing term has come to an end and the tenant is holding over. In this article, our newly qualified solicitor, Maggie Berry explores the process that landlords and tenants can expect when navigating this complex area of law.
Our Guidance, Your Legacy: What is a Will, and why should I make one?
Not only is a Will one of the most important steps you can take to protect your loved ones and ensure your wishes are respected, but it also limits the likelihood of a claim/dispute following your death. To ensure your loved ones and the causes you care about benefit from your estate, a Will is essential to ensuring this happens. Find out more in this article.
Lease extensions: The essentials to getting started
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